APF 2K9: What Could Have Been

[asu666]

Quote: Originally Posted by Djwlfpack

Yep. The # ratings system is broken, IMO. I really liked the attributes system 2k used in APF. Gave you a better idea of what each player was really good at, and helped you better select your teams.

I would like an option like in another dearly departed series, NCAA 2K8, to turn the ability icons or stat numbers on or off depending on my peference. NCAA 2K8 did it with letter grades instead of ability icons, but it's basically the same thing imo.

Geezzzz, what is with all of the best sports games losing some crap license and disappearing. Keep producing games with great gameplay and let us fill in the blanks and share what we build.

[spit_bubble]

APF 2K9: What Could Have Been?

More like: APF 2K8: What Could Have Been.

Quote from the back of the APF 2K8 box:

"Over 240 Legends. Full Customization..."





Strange I thought the word "full" meant something else.

[jct32]

I have a question but it was probably answered during the first set of questions before APF2k8 was released.

Why couldn't VC just take ESPN 2k5 and update the graphics and just say they ported the Xbox Version to the 360. No roster update, same roster they had back in 2k5, or does the license protect against that?

[asu666]

I played four full 15 minute quarter games of NFL 2K5 this past weekend and had a blast. There is something about the 2K5 engine and presentation that just nailed the sport. At the rate EA is going, I'll still be playing 2K5 come 2K15. So far the only game that has come close to be as much fun is 2K8.

[texbuk84]

could have been but not. maybe next year. i was looking forward to this title.

[Malachi]

Great article. It almost pains me to see the lack of creativity, and innovation that All Pro 2K8 had. As I've said before it was so many ways that you can see this game failing. Yeah, not having the NFL License hurt, but you're not limited to what you can do and you don't have to stay within any sort of parameters that you would have with the NFL license. This wasn't an NFL product, but yet it was presented like an NFL product by keeping all of the NFL rules and regulations. I hated All Pro 2K8 for its lack of replay value, and honestly, I could care less if 2K doesn't make another football game this gen. What makes it so bad, they scrapped another all pro game just to make another bad game in PrizeFighter. Seriously, what are these people thinking? The only thing they can seemingly get right nowadays is the NBA 2K series.

[kbshowtime]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudeworld

I thought it was going to be customizable, but even though it wasnt it was still fun for that one season....then it got boring....should of had a "franchise mode"

Would of been great if it had a franchise mode but it didnt and got real stale real fast. But even though I wasn't impressed with 2k8 hopefully there will be a 2k10. I believe 2k can make a great game if they get off their lazy *** and not sit out another year.

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by Malachi

Great article. It almost pains me to see the lack of creativity, and innovation that All Pro 2K8 had. As I've said before it was so many ways that you can see this game failing. Yeah, not having the NFL License hurt, but you're not limited to what you can do and you don't have to stay within any sort of parameters that you would have with the NFL license. This wasn't an NFL product, but yet it was presented like an NFL product by keeping all of the NFL rules and regulations. I hated All Pro 2K8 for its lack of replay value, and honestly, I could care less if 2K doesn't make another football game this gen. What makes it so bad, they scrapped another all pro game just to make another bad game in PrizeFighter. Seriously, what are these people thinking? The only thing they can seemingly get right nowadays is the NBA 2K series.

Great article? When the author is talking about the game context could've had something to do with the "football gods" ruling over every city and... I had to stop reading that junk. Like so many other throwaway OS articles of late. Pretty much nothing useful in it but the title. 2K made lots of mistakes with some of the choices they made with APF, but gamers need to acknowledge the difficulty of what they were attempting. So many of us wanted the game to be what we (individually) wanted the game to be. This author's laughably talking about some "football gods" game, the IGN review slammed the game for not being more bold choices like rethinking overtime rules or something, etc. Everybody wanted the game to be what they wanted it to be and faulted it when it wasn't.

2K definitely tripped over themselves by making some frustratingly head-scratching choices. The game gives you no control over the cpu teams, and the generics. Perhaps if they approached the game with the idea of giving people that near-full customization many wanted (over everything except the legends), it would've extended the game's replay value somewhat on it's own. Personally I feel that was 2K's single biggest mistake. No franchise was a biggie also, but I think a bare-boned franchise mode would've been tagged useless and gotten almost as much flak as the hardcore gave it for not being there in the first place. In the end I think 2K was trying too hard to seperate themselves from the NFL. I can understand the approach, but in the end it's obvious that was pretty much unavoidable. I endorsed the approach myself and was wrong.

Still there's a lot 2K did right with the game, particularly on the field. And that's the frustrating thing - it's easy to see the game's immense potential that will likely never be realized. From what I've read APF didn't have a full compliment of people working on the game; it wasn't approached like an NFL2K or an NBA2K would be. Which makes sense, because it was a risky undertaking in the first place. But I think given that it's still pretty remarkable what they accomplished on their first attempt. Sadly gamers weren't going to show the game the patience they've shown Madden and NCAA, and in return we're going to miss out on something that could've been special in year 2/3, not year 5/6